Sugar kept his intent but gentle gaze on her. Little Eva swallowed the last of the saltfish fritter in her mouth. He continued, ‘I can tell there’s something you want to say. Remember what I taught you; never allow anyone to tie your tongue.’
Eva carefully placed her fork down. Settled her hands neatly into her lap. Her tummy tickled with nerves. What if she went and spoiled her time here? Upset them? But Sugar had guided her on how to be brave.
Eva looked down hard at her hands in her lap as she asked in the smallest voice, ‘Can I call you Dad?’
Sugar was commanding. ‘Lift your head.’
Heart moving so fast it felt like it was about to come out of her chest, she slowly looked at him. When she saw his face, she teared up because there were tears gathered in his own eyes.
‘I’ve been waiting to hear you say that for a long, long time,’ he told her, his face as open as his heart. ‘Me and Cherry didn’t want to force you do anything that you didn’t want to do. It will be my honour if you called me Dad. But if you chose to call me Sugar as well that’s fine by me.’
Thrilled and so filled with joy, Eva gifted him her biggest and brightest smile. ‘Thank you. Daddy.’
I lift my head from the damp earth, in the way Sugar encouraged me to do all those years ago. Some of the life has come back into me. I remind myself that I have a job to do. That three women are depending on me.
I pull out my phone.
I need you to meet me.
CHAPTER 34
No Name
The devil is hard at work tonight, that’s for sure, because I can’t sleep. The baby’s playing a game of rugby and the heat . . . Hell’s bells, it feels like someone wrapped me in foil and is roasting me up a treat. Sweat running off me like Niagara Falls. Less than a month to go and baby will be here. Hooray! I can’t wait to see her little face. Can’t wait to cuddle her gorgeous body close.
I won’t lie, I am pissing myself with fear. I haven’t had any women to talk to and don’t know what it will be like. All I’ve ever heard is how painful it is. And one or two stories of how you can get ripped down there. I don’t fancy that.
My new little friend still pops in to see me, bless her soul. What would I do without her? She giggles like a little chipmunk when she feels baby moving in my belly. Whoever the child’s people are they should be very proud of her. If my baby grows up to be anything like that child I’ll be the happiest mother alive. I’ll—
What’s that? Slowly, I manage to sit up. There it is again. A noise. Between me and you I think there are other people in this place. What if I’m not the only pregnant woman here? What if there are others like me stashed away in each room on this floor and the floor above?
The sound’s coming from downstairs.
I shouldn’t really take my big-belly-self outside this room . . .
I move my fedora to the side so I can pop on my dressing gown and slippers. I turn the doorknob ever so slow. Open the door even slower so it doesn’t creak. Outside the corridor is filled with darkness and those shadows that appear on their own. I have to use my hand against the wall to guide me or my heavy belly will topple me over like one of those wibbly-wobbly toys. I listen in the corridor. The sound is definitely coming from downstairs. I move quietly to the top of the stairs and cock my ear to listen.
Someone’s talking down there. No one should be on the ground floor, not at this time of the day. Or night, for that matter. The voice is coming from the office I know so well.
I only hear the one voice but figure out they’re talking to someone on the phone. I know that voice. Know it well. I listen to what they’re saying:
‘Stop worrying. No one knows a thing and no one is going to connect Pretty Lanes with the centre.’
Pretty Lanes. What’s that? The name sounds so comforting so why does my body come over all icy when I hear it?
The person’s chatting again. ‘They won’t be able to trace the women and girl here. Amina . . .’
The rest is so muffled I can’t hear what else they say. I almost trip up in horror. I know who they’re talking about. The women. And Amina. The ones that have gone missing, including my sweet, sweet, beautiful friend. I want to go in there and demand they tell me what they did with them. But I know if I do that I’ll probably be dragged off to this Pretty Lanes too. And my baby. I rest my hand on my tummy. I’ve got to always remember I’ve got someone else to think about now too.
I need to think things through. I won’t let this person and this Pretty Lanes get away with it.